Constitution Reviewed by Committee

SIDLEY CRICKET CLUB CONSTITUTION


1. NAME:
The name of the club shall be SIDLEY CRICKET CLUB.
The club is affiliated to Sidley Sports Club.

2. ADDRESS:
The Club Premises shall be: Sidley Cricket Club, Gullivers, Glover’s Lane, Sidley, East Sussex TN39 5AJ.

3. STATUS:
The club shall be a member of the Sussex Cricket League, the East Sussex Cricket league, and the Hastings and District Midweek and Weekend Indoor Cricket Leagues.

4. OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of the club shall be: -
a) To exist as a non-profit seeking organisation, with any surplus funds being invested in the development of the club.
b) To play, promote and encourage the game of cricket for the benefit of the community through the provision of practice and playing facilities, coaching and fixtures for all playing members, and the social enjoyment and recreation of all members - in both respects, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability or disability.
c) To foster the game of cricket generally in Sidley and the surrounding area.
d) To encourage, and provide safe, positive, fun opportunities for young people to take an interest in, and play, cricket. To that end, to develop links with local primary and secondary schools in the area.
e) To ensure all members, playing and non-playing, conform to, and abide by, the laws of the game, codes of conduct and rules laid down by the leagues or cup competitions in which the Club shall have entered teams; the rules of Sidley Cricket Club and Sports Club governing the use of its premises and facilities; the rules and codes of conduct for the playing of cricket laid down by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
f) To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club by adopting & implementing the ECB “Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children” and Equity Policy Statement & any future versions of the policies, thereby ensuring that all children participating in cricket have a safe and positive experience. To this end, having an appointed, fully trained Club Welfare Officer whose name and contact details are readily available to all children, parents, staff and other interested parties, and ensuring that correct procedures are in place for raising and managing safeguarding and child protection concerns.
g) To provide support, through education and training, so that all individuals working within cricket at the club are aware of, and can adhere to, good practice and code of conduct guidelines defined by both the ECB and by the club.
h) To encourage all members to participate in the life of the Club through playing, social and fundraising activities and general management.

5. MANAGEMENT:
The management of the cricket club shall be directed by the Committee, consisting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, and other elected members, making a maximum number of twelve as the Committee. All members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. They shall remain in office for one year, but can stand for re-election at the next AGM.
The Committee have the power to appoint sub-committees and determine their terms of reference, and to co-opt other members as deemed appropriate.
Five shall form a quorum which must include at least two of: the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. The Chairman shall have a casting vote.
Committee meetings will be held in the clubhouse every month throughout the year, normally on the first Monday of each month. Meetings will commence at 7.30pm.
The Chairman will be responsible for the agenda, chairing the monthly meetings and for ensuring that minutes are taken and kept for future reference.
The Vice-chairman will deputise for the chairman in the aforementioned roles whenever required.
The Honorary Secretary will be responsible for all correspondence, the notice, agenda and minutes of the AGM and any other Special Meetings. He/she will be responsible for taking the minutes of the aforementioned meetings, and present them for confirmation at the next Committee meeting.
The Honorary Treasurer will be responsible for all financial matters, including receipt of the monies, payments, banking and production of an audited annual balance sheet/statement of accounts, and annual report. He/she will also be responsible for producing an update of the financial position of the Cricket Club at each monthly committee meeting. The Honorary Treasurer will be the sole person responsible for receiving, and forwarding, any monies relating to an overseas player contracted to the club.
The club’s financial year shall run from November 1st to October 31st.
The Honorary Fixture Secretary shall be responsible for arranging the club’s fixtures and ensuring that fixture-cards are printed and available to players before the first match of the season.
League Representatives: There will be two of these, one for the Sussex League and one for the East Sussex League. Both representatives will be elected at the AGM and shall be responsible for attending league meetings and reporting back to the Committee on issues raised at those meetings. Notes on such meetings should be passed to the Honorary Secretary in advance of the next monthly Committee meeting. If a representative is unable to attend a league meeting, he/she must inform the Chairman of the Committee at least 48 hours before the scheduled meeting so that another member of the club, preferably a Committee member, can attend that meeting.
The Committee will also:
a) Set standards for Club awards and determine, in liaison with team captains, the recipients of annual awards.
b) Decide which teams the Club should run and in which League or Cup competitions teams should be entered.
c) Arrange Junior Managers.
d) Take all other actions necessary for the smooth and effective running of the Club.
The Committee as a whole is expected to arrange a number of fund-raising events for the Club during the year, and to attract sponsorship.

6. TRUSTEES:
Being affiliated to Sidley Sports Club, the Cricket Club shall have the same trustees as the Sports Club.

7. CLUB COLOURS:
The colours of the Club shall be dark blue and light blue. The club crest shall be a gold-edged, four-quarter shield, each quarter containing symbols of Sidley history since the club’s founding in May 1901: an oak tree; a blacksmith; a windmill, and the New Inn, Sidley. Underneath, “Sidley CC” in a dark blue, gold-edged ribbon.

8. CHILD WELFARE:
The Club ensures a duty of care to all members of the Club by adopting and implementing “ECB Safe Hands – Welfare of Young People in Cricket Policy” and any future versions of the policy.
All coaches, team captains and vice-captains must have been successfully CRB checked.

9. MEMBERSHIP:
All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution, and by joining the Club, will be deemed to accept these regulations and the Club’s Code of Conduct, which is displayed in the clubhouse. Breach of the code may result in disciplinary action being taken by the Committee.
Membership of the club will consist of the following categories: -

a) The President.
b) Playing Membership (18 years of age and over).
c) Junior Membership (under 18 years of age).
d) Social Membership.
e) Life Membership.

The AGM may select individuals for Life Membership in recognition of major services to the Club. The President and Life Members are exempt from paying annual subscriptions to the Club. A register of Members shall be kept by the Honorary Secretary.

10. SUBSCRIPTIONS:
The annual subscription for the following classes of membership shall be proposed by the Committee, and approved by members at the AGM each year:
a) Social Membership.
b) Playing Membership (18 years of age and over).
c) Junior Membership (under 18 years of age).
A playing member’s category and subscription shall be determined by his/her age on the 30th April in each subscription year.
Parents of players are given automatic membership.
The cricket club subscription will include membership of Sidley Sports Club and should be paid to the Honorary Treasurer before June 1st.

11. PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP:
All playing and non-playing members (excluding junior members under 18 years of age) will be entitled to full voting rights, provided that their subscriptions have been paid for that year.

12. CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP:
If any member shall fail to pay his subscription before June 1st, the Honorary Treasurer shall send him a notice in writing to his address in the books of the Club, calling him to pay the same within 28 days. If he shall fail to pay his subscription after this reminder, the Committee shall be entitled to terminate his membership without further notice, thus prohibiting him from playing for the Club, or making use of the Club facilities.

13. MATCH FEES AND TRAVEL EXPENSES:
Playing members will pay a fee for each cricket match they play to help defray travelling, teas or other expenses. Match fees will be determined annually at the AGM. If they so wish, players who take their cars to away matches and transport other team players with them are entitled to claim from the Honorary Treasurer, in writing, the amount per mile agreed by the Committee.

14. TEAM SELECTION:
Teams for the week’s fixtures will be selected by the team captains normally on a Tuesday evening at a meeting in the Clubhouse. Players selected for teams will normally be informed at least 48 hours before the match.

15. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
The Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held after the end of the cricket season, and by the 30th November at the latest, and will have the following agenda:
1) President’s Report.
2) Chairman’s Report.
2) Honorary Treasurer’s Statement of Accounts, including the Audited Balance Sheet(s).
4) Honorary Fixture Secretary’s Report.
5) Ground Maintenance Report.
6) Team Captains’ Reports.
7) Colts’Report.
8) To determine the level of annual subscription and match fees for the following year.
9) Notified amendments to the constitution.
10) To elect the following:
a) The President.
b) Chairman and Vice-Chairman.
c) Captain & Vice-Captain of the Saturday 1st, 2nd and 3rd XIs, and Sunday XIs.
d) Honorary Fixture Secretary.
e) Honorary Treasurer.
f) Honorary General Secretary.
g) Honorary Auditor.
h) Child Welfare Officer.
i) One representative to serve on the Executive Committee of Sidley Sports Club. He/she will keep the Cricket Club informed of decisions and discussions of the Executive Committee.
11) To transact any other business.
Twenty members shall form a quorum and the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
At the AGM the Chairman will ask for nominations of candidates for election (as above) and a seconder for each nomination. In the case of two or more members being proposed for the same post, the chairman will ask the members involved to leave the room while a determining vote by show of hands is held. The members in question will be informed of the voting on their return. A member who is not able to attend the meeting is entitled to ask another member who is attending to propose his name for any particular post.
At all meetings, decisions shall be made by a simple majority.

16. NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
The Committee Chairman shall give members a minimum of 14 day’s written notice of the AGM. An audited Statement of Accounts will be available for members at the AGM.

17. RECORD OF ATTENDANCES:
A record of all Committee meetings shall be kept by the Honorary Secretary.

18. THE CONSTITUTION:
Any member wishing to move an amendment to the constitution shall give due notice to the Honorary Secretary at least 28 days before the AGM, and the Honorary Secretary shall include such notice in the letter convening the meeting. Any alteration to the constitution which is passed at the AGM shall become immediately binding.

19. SPECIAL (EXTRAORDINARY) GENERAL MEETINGS:
A Special General Meeting shall be held at any time on a written request signed by not less than 8 members, such requisition to state the reason for such a meeting, and only such matters as are the requisition shall be allowed to be discussed at the meeting. The Honorary Secretary will inform the membership, in writing, of the aforesaid request for a Special Meeting within 7 days of its receipt, and give at least 21 days’ written notice of the date determined for the meeting. Twenty members shall form a quorum and the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
The Committee have the authority to convene a Special Meeting when they feel that important issues need to be discussed by the full membership – for example, reviewing and updating the club constitution.

20. FORFEITURE OF SEAT ON COMMITTEE:
Any member of the Committee (the Chairman excepted) being absent from three consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse may lose his seat and the Committee shall, at their next meeting, have the authority to fill the vacancy. The same authority applies in the case of a committee member having to resign due to ill health, moving out of the area, work commitments, etc.

21. DISCRETIONARY POWERS:
The Committee shall have the power to deal, as it sees fit, with any matter that arises in connection with the Club, and which is not provided for in the constitution.

22. DISCIPLINE AND APPEALS:
All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be lodged in writing with the Committee Chairman.
The Committee will hear complaints at their next monthly meeting. The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action, including suspending players from being selected for matches, and the termination of membership.
The Chairman shall put the outcome of the disciplinary hearing in writing to the person who lodged the complaint, and the member against whom the complaint was made, within 7 days following the hearing.
Following disciplinary action being taken, there will be a right of appeal. The member against whom disciplinary action has been taken by the committee, is entitled to request an appeal by writing to the Honorary Secretary of the Committee, and is entitled to call witnesses to accompany him/her to that appeal. The Committee will then appoint an Appeal Board (three senior members) that shall not include any members of the original decision-making committee. The decision of that Appeal Board shall be binding and final.

23. RULES BINDING ON MEMBERS:
The rules of the constitution shall be binding upon each member, and a copy will be posted in the clubhouse.

24. DISSOLUTION:
If, at any General Meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Cricket Club, the Chairman shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
If at that Special Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the full voting membership present at the meeting, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Cricket Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Cricket Club.
After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Cricket Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the full members of the Cricket Club, but shall be given or transferred to the local Cricket Board or any other voluntary cricket organisation in the area having objectives similar to those of the Cricket Club.

25. DECLARATION:
Sidley Cricket Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.